"He said at one stage yesterday, Dad, the bloke on the end of the hose was a metre away and I couldn't see him."

Jeff says his son is part of a Rural Fire Service volunteer crew based at Castlereagh, near where a bushfire burned across more than 1,300 hectares yesterday.

"They were one of the first crews up there and they were just overwhelmed. I actually think this morning he's a bit traumatised by the things that they saw. Looking at houses that they just couldn't save.

"There was hardly any crews up there early in the piece because it just came out of nowhere.

"He said there were two houses we saved and we lost five houses on either side. We just couldn't save them. We'd be saving one and they'd just burst into flames on either side."

Jeff says there is more than just a financial cost for volunteer firefighters who drop work at a moment's notice.

"They're astounding people. They are. My son is a first year apprentice. He doesn't get paid a lot. He drops work," he said.

"Castlereagh fire team, they're a really tight team and it costs them a lot. Not in money, in emotional costs. They all drop work to go and do it.

"They fought our fires two weeks ago. My place was under threat then. I can't emphasise enough what they do for the community for no cost.

"They just put their heart and soul out there and the people that have got houses today have got to thank the RFS for doing it. People who just go out there for nothing and put their lives on (the line).

"He's in bed... he couldn't sleep all night... He said every time I close my eyes it kept coming back... I'm proud of him."